Lavatory drying device



March 5, 1929. R, A .LEMP 41,704,136

LAVATORY DRYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28.' 1927 Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES RAYMOND A. LEMP, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

LAVATORY DRYING DEVICE.

Application led November This invention relates to an air heating` device adapted to be installed in lavatories7 tonsorial parlors7 beauty shops and analogous places for drying the hands, tace and hair after lia-ving or other ablutions.

I am aware that various devices have heretotore been proposed for heating and propelling currents of air tor similar purposes in which the moistened hands and .taces are usually positioned. vdirectly in the path of the movingv current ot heated air with the tace some distance above the hands so that both may be drying.- at about the same time under which conditions it frequently happens that the moisture liberated trom the hands by the current of air will be more or less sprayed or spattered upon the collar and other oarments of the user due to the impact of the heated air against the hands which is particularly true in machines usine' motor driven fans as the air-propelling medium.

The main object of the present invention is to avoid this objectionable result by directing a portion of the heated air current in more or less opposition to the uptlow ot the main current and thereby to break the torce of upflow ot' the main current which incidentally prevents the carrying ot the moisture spray upwardly trom the hands when the latter are positioned in the path ot movement ot the main current.

Another object is to utilize this branch or bypass current in connection with the main current 'for dryingr a greater area oit the hands at. one and the same time than would be possible with a single current7 thereby expediting the drying operation.

A further object is to extend a portion of the device over and some distance above the inlet for the main current to torin a battle hood having' an openiiig-therethrough tor 'directing' the main current upwardly to be used in drying the face at the same time that the hands are interposed between the hood and inlet 'for drying' purposes.

Another object is to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive device ot this character which may be made and sold as a nnit or may be attached to the pressure side of a motor 'driven tan or equivalent air-cir culating medium.

Other objects and uses relatingl to specific parts et the device will be brought out in following description,

2s, 1927. serial No. 236,240.

In the drawings- ,Fiffure l is a top plan ot' air-heating device einbodying the various features of my invent-ion. l

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view ot the same device taken in the plane of line 2 2. Figure l. I i

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane ot line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure etis vertical sectional view taken in the plane ot line t-t, Figure 1.

As illustrated7 this device comprises a tubular base 1, a bracket J2- entendingr upwardly from the base Hlmainly at one side et the axis ot said base and preterably curved longitudinally so that its upper end may extend over and some Idistance above the base 1- to form a baille hood 3d and a n intervening' open space -4- between the base and hood ot suicient height and depth from trout to rear to receive the hands ot' the user.

The tubular base lis shown as cylindrical and relatively short axially but obviously may he made ot' any cross sectional form for connection with the pressure side of a tan case, if desired. The intent7 however. is to enable the device to be made and sold as a unit to be used in connection with or separate from a motor driven fan, not shown.

lVhen used separately the device may be attached by any suitable fastening means to a supiiiort capable of holding it in an upright position and in such manner as to permit 'free flow oit the air through the base l-d and hood -3- and across the intervening space 4- which is lett available tor reception ot the hands with ample space above the hood to permit the tace of the user to be placed directly over the openingT in the hood.

Under these conditions the base 1- will be provided with an internal heater -5- tneterably ot the electric type having` means such as a cable -a and plug; #om tor connection with a lamp socket ttor supplying current to the heater.

This heater extends entirely across the interior area et the base FMVland is preterably made in grille toi-rn to allow tree flow of air from the bottoni upwardly therethrough 'tor heatingthe air as it passes trom the underside ot the base upwardly.

The bracket Q-w is concave-convex in cross section and also longitudinally with convexl side outermost and its concave side facing` the opening -lbetween the base 1- and hood -3-, sai-d bracket being provided with a lengthwise partition #6- eX- tending from the central portion of the upper end ofthe base 1- to a point between the horizontal center of the opening lland back of the hood and connecting the opposite walls of the concave side of the bracket in spaced relation tothe rear wall thereof to form a lengthwise passage -7-.

The mouth of the passages -7- is equal to approximately half the cross sectional area of the tubular base -lwhile the. upper end of the other half olf the base is open at Ythe top to allow the heated air to pass from the bottom upwardly theretn'oueh and et the saine time allowing a portion or the heated air to pass upwardly through the passage -7-.

The upper portion ol' the bracket --2- is provided with an inwardly projecting baflle flange -8- in longitudinally spaced relation to the upper end of the partition eef to' form an outlet -``-9- which is inclined downwardly and inwardly yfor deecting the heated air from the upper end of the passage -7- downwardly and inwardly to meet the upwardly flowing current of air through the main passage as 10- some distance below the hood S- or rather between said hood and the base -l.

For this latter purpose the flange 8- and a similar flange 8- on the upper end of the partition aredeflected downwardly and inwardly from the 'outer wall and from the partition respectively. Y

The hood -3- extends forwardly over and beyond 4the upper end of, the base section -1 in an approximately horizontal plane, but is concavo-conveX in vcross section, both ylongitudinally and transversely and is provided at its forward end with a downwardly and forwardly extending' flange 3- to as-V sist in directing the upflowing current or heated air from the base'section -l-throu gh an opening wl1-A in the top of the hood.

If desired a screen -12- may be placed over and upon or within the upper end of' the main passage -10- to prevent lodging of foreign matter upon the underlying heater -5-. The heater -5- maybe of any wellknown or desired construction such, for eX- ample, as a resistance wire l3-f mounted upon and within an insulating ring yl/lwhi'ch is removably held in operative position within the base -lby clamping screws -15- or equivalent fastening means.

Operation.

`Whether this device is used as a separate unit or in connection with a motor driven fan, the cold air entering the bottom of the base section 1* will be heated and the` heated air will rise through the main passage -10- and by-pass -7- to mingle in the opening elby reason ol the discharge of the bypassed heated air through the outlet -9- and into said opening in such manner as to intersect the upwardly moving current of air through the passage -10-.

rl`he purpose of the downwardly and inwardly deflected pasage -9- is to break the force of the upwardly moving current of heated air'passin'g through the main. passage -l0*- so that when the meisten-ed hands of the user are placed in the opening they will be subjected to drying influence of the 'current from below through the main passage -10- and also by the heated current escaping from the by-pass .-7- through the outlet -9- which7 by reason of its downward and inward deflection, tends to dry the upper portions of the hands and to deflect downwardly any loose moisture which may be liberated from the hands by the upwardly moving current of air from the main passage -10-.

In other words. the by-passed heated current of 'air escaping through the discharge nozzle -9- serves the double purpose ot increasing the. drying effect of the air upon the hands and also preventing the loose moisture on the hands from being forced upwardly through the outlet -'-1l-' of the main heated current.

While the hands arev being dried in the opening -4- by the main current and also by the by-passed current of heated air portions of said heated air will naturally pass around the hands and upwardly through the outlet -11- over which the face ot the user may be held for drying the face and hair, if desired.

Or7 the hands may be dried separately in the opening -4- and the face dried sepa# rately over the opening -ll-, it being understood that the hoods 3- by reason of its peculiar eoncavo-convex shaft` tends to direct the heated air from the opening lupwardly through the outlet -l`l.

The unitary frame having the various elements as described is particularly simple7 practicable and highly eflicient as a' drying medium for the face and hands, but obviously may be modified materially in its detail construction without departing from the The damper 16- is adapted to open by its own weight aided by the weight ot the handle -18-.

It will be observed, however', that the free edge of the damper -l6- normally lies closely adjacent the partition --16-- and, therefore, is not affected by the llow ot air through the chamber -7- until it is par-- tially closed by the user and when left in its open position permits the portion ot the heated air to flow through the chamber 7- and through the outlet -9 to mingle with the main current ol" air flowing upwardly from the tubular b -lthrough the opening -llwin the hood 3*.

I desired, the deilecting flange -8- may be extended upwardly at -S- to the top of the rear sido or wall of' the opening -l'l- Vto assist in directing the currents oi air upwardly thi ugh said opening.

Wvh en di y ing the hands they are interposed in the path or the n Y.in air current and in the path olf the downwardeflected buv-passed air cuA arding the direct uptlo w ot the tl'irough the hood and causing it to spread out over a greater area o the hands while the by-passed current is directed inst the remaining portions ot the hands, thus completing the drying of the hands in an extremely short space of time and greatly reducing the amount of current necessary for the drying operations.

0n the other hand, when it is desired to dry the face, exclusive of the hands, it is most expeditiously accomplished by closing the damper in the by-pass which allows all ot the heated air to pass upwardly through the hood and directly against the overhanging ilace ot' the user.

IVhat I claim is l.. In an air-heating device of the character described, an upright tubular member having` a main air outlet at the top and a branch aas leading upwardly from the interior thereof at one side ot' the main passage and provided with an in"ardly and downwardlyY inclined outlet in a plane above the tubular base for deflecting heated air across the upl'lew current or.' heated air lrom the main passage, and means for heating the air in transit to the main outlet and to the .branch passage.

2. An air-heating device ot' the character described comprising an upright tubular base permitting the tlow of air therethrough, a hood supported directly over the upper end ot' the tubular base in spaced relation thereto to permit the placing of the hands between the base and hood tor drying purposes and provided with a vertical opening therethrough, a bracket connecting the base to the rt thereby7 remain current hood and provided with an air passage having its lower end communicating with the interior of the base and its upper end provided with an outlet discharging into the space between the base and hood, and means igor heating the air in transit through the tubular base.

3. In an air drier ot' the character described, a base having a main vertical air passage at one side of its axis and an upwardly extending tubular bracket at the opposite side of its axis having its lower end communicating with the interior of the base and its upper end provided with an outlet discharging downwardly and inwardly toward the produced axis ol.1 the base, and means for heating the air in transit through said base and tubular bracket, and a damper within the tubular bracket for regulating the flow of heated air therethrough.

l. In an air-heating device, an upright base having a main air passage therethrough, a hood overhanging the base in vertically spaced relation thereto and provided with an air-opening therethrough in vertical alinement with the main passage of the base, a bracket connecting the base and hood and provided with a branch passage communicating at its lower end with the interior of the base and its upper end discharging into the intervening space between the base and hood, a damper in the branch passage, and means for heating the air in transit through the main passage and branch passage.

5. An air-heating device of the character described comprising a tubular base having an upwardly extending bracket mainly at one f side of the axis of the base,a hood supported upon the upper end of the bracket directly over and in spaced relation to the base, said base and hood being provided with vertically alined air passages, the bracket being provided with an air passage having its lower end communicating with the interior of the base and its upper end provided with an outlet discharging into the intervening space between the base and hood, and means within the base for heating the air in transit therethrough.

6. In an air-heating device of the character described a trame having a main air passage and a branch air passage at one side olf' the main passage, the branch passage being provided with a. discharge opening in a plane above the upper end ot the main passage, a damper controlling the branch passage, and means for heating the air in transit through said passage.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of November, 192i'.

RAYMOND A. LEMP. 

